Mafic to Create 70 New Jobs in Ireland producing Basalt Fibres for use in North American Composite Products

04 June 2013

Mafic Ireland is to create 70 jobs over the next three years with a multi-million Euro investment in its new production facility in Kells, Co. Meath, Ireland, creating basalt fibres for use in composite products at its Canada branch.

The investment, which comes under the Succeed-in-Ireland Initiative is part of the Government’s Action Plan for Jobs, and is implemented by ConnectIreland under the management of the Industrial Development Agency (IDA) Ireland with the support of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.

Making the announcement, Minister Bruton said:

“The innovative Succeed-in-Ireland initiative which we launched a year ago as part of the Government’s Action Plan for Jobs is about marshalling all the resources of our community and our diaspora to tackle the jobs crisis and attract new multinational companies who would not otherwise come to Ireland.

“The announcement that Mafic is establishing a facility in Kells with the creation of 70 new manufacturing jobs is great news for Meath and an example of precisely what we are aiming to achieve with this initiative. Through local connections and with support from my Department through IDA Ireland, a manufacturing facility which otherwise would have gone elsewhere in the world is coming to employ people in a regional town which would ordinarily struggle to attract multinational investment. I commend all involved, and I am determined to ensure that we can see more announcements like this across the country in the coming months and years”.

Mafic Ireland will be the sole production site of basalt fibre within the Mafic group, where Mafic Canada will use the fibres produced in Kells in the manufacture of composite products for the North American markets.

Mafic Ireland will use crushed basalt, which must be melted to produce the basalt fibre This will be done in specially commissioned and imported furnaces to be installed in Kells in the coming months. The crushed basalt is being sourced from the Ukraine.

The Kells operation will start with three furnaces, extending to six furnaces within 18 months. These furnaces will run 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In addition there are already plans in the pipeline to have a pultrusion line to produce composites using the basalt fibres.

The facility will become Mafic’s manufacturing centre of excellence and production headquarters. Brian Dougan, Director and Secretary of Mafic S.A and Managing Director of Mafic Ireland, will be based in Kells.

Brian said, “It is a very exciting time for our company, as we establish our production facility in Kells. We believe that we have found a perfect location for our business, with a strong, supportive local community. That, coupled with the availability of workers and Ireland’s proximity to the European and North American markets, was a huge draw for us. We are confident that Ireland, and specifically the historical town of Kells, offers us all the necessary components to help make our business a success”.

Mafic will commence recruitment of production supervisors and manufacturing technicians immediately. A further recruitment process for production operatives will take place throughout June and July, with successful candidates for these roles commencing employment in August. A recruitment fair will take place in Kells, in June, with advance notice published in the local media.

Mafic would like to acknowledge the significant role played by ConnectIreland in helping it tochoose Ireland as a location for its production facility. Mafic would also like to extend its thanks to Meath County Council.